Dog that lunged at probation officer is shot, killed

OCEANSIDE  A county probation officer shot and killed a dog that lunged at her in an aggressive manner Wednesday night in the backyard of an Oceanside house, police said.

The officer was accompanied by two Oceanside police officers when she went to the residence on Dubuque Street, near Holly Street, shortly after 8 p.m. She was conducting what is known as a Fourth waiver search on a 16-year-old probationer, meaning he had waived his Fourth Amendment rights to demand a search warrant as a condition of his probation.

When the officers were setting up around the house to begin the search, the probationer stuck his head around the corner of the residence and fled, said Oceanside police Lt. George Darrah. The probation officer went into the backyard, where the pit bull-mix came after her, the lieutenant said. She shot the dog to protect herself, he said.

The teenager, who was on probation for assault with a deadly weapon, was caught and arrested on a probation violation, Darrah said. The probation officer was not injured.